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'Go wheresoever they take you, and let them do what they will,

only take the blue light with you.' Next day the soldier was

tried, and though he had done nothing wicked, the judge condemned

him to death. When he was led forth to die, he begged a last

favour of the king. 'What is it?' asked the king. 'That I may

smoke one more pipe on my way.' 'You may smoke three,' answered

the king, 'but do not imagine that I will spare your life.' Then

the soldier pulled out his pipe and lighted it at the blue light,

and as soon as a few wreaths of smoke had ascended, the manikin

was there with a small cudgel in his hand, and said: 'What does

my lord command?' 'Strike down to earth that false judge there,

and his constable, and spare not the king who has treated me so

ill.' Then the manikin fell on them like lightning, darting this

way and that way, and whosoever was so much as touched by his

cudgel fell to earth, and did not venture to stir again.